Archive for February, 2009
“Wow, you have balloons; that’s really nice.”
“Here, we can share them; one for you and one for me.”
The two boys giggled as they batted their own colorful balloon with
their hands, feet, and heads; seeing how long each could keep their
treasure afloat in the air.
Pop, went the younger boy’s balloon!
“Oh, I’m so sorry; you can share mine.”
Both boys laughed as they tossed the surviving balloon back and forth.
Joy in simple things.
“See my airplane, Auntie; I’m flying.”
“I’m flying one, too!”
Each boy in turn showed me his helicopter, made like a pinwheel with
strips of palm leaves and sticks.
One after the other, each child sped off into the wind, his
helicopter’s propeller blowing around and around.
Joy in simple things.
“Auntie Ruth and Uncle Gary are done eating, and there is food left over!”
With huge grins on their faces, five hungry children with five big
spoons happily scoop out one spoonful of rice and sauce.
No complaining that there is so little, only pure contentment.
Joy in simple things.
“Godliness with contentment is great gain.” I Timothy 6:6
February 24th, 2009
What joy I had the second time around in the small village of Zeongehn, nestled in the forested hills of Nimba County, Liberia. I felt like I was a little girl again, growing up in the village of Beomi, Cote d’Ivoire from 1951-1960, my parents being missionaries. I loved the African life; in fact, at the age of four I had even asked my mother to let me leave home and live with my African friends. Well, I almost felt like asking my mama again!
The entire ten days that Gary and I were in Zeongehn, God kept me healthy and upbeat. I experienced, once again, my first time as a child, pounding rice in a deep wooden mortar with a large wooden pistol. To the delight of all the women, I sang and danced while pounding, another skill I learned as a child. I even got to eat with my hands and still be in good etiquette!
It was so much fun sitting under the outdoor thatched cook house, laughing with the ladies as the boiling water in their iron pots steamed away. Of course, I also enjoyed chatting with the villagers (men, women, and children) who immediately assigned themselves to the duty of teaching me fluent Geo in one day. When I dittoed their words, they remarked enthusiastically, “You are very clever!”
“No,” I responded, “It is a gift from God.”
One special memory of our visit to Nimba that will stay forever in my mind, was the respect those humble village people gave to Gary and me. “We know you and your husband truly love us,” they reiterated over and over, “because you live with us, share our food, and spend the day teaching our people.”
“Yes,” I agreed, “we do love you; but God loves you even more!” I smiled.
February 6th, 2009
The fog was thick, even though it was late in the morning. The dew was thick as well, falling like rain off the heavy jungle canopy. We broke out into the plantation farm between two small mountains. Some thing was different; unsettling, disturbing. Nelson Zamie bent down to examine two dried shards from a pineapple stalk; the heart of the plant had been removed.
“They have been here,” he told me.My heart was pounding, I was only thinking of one thing; and as it spilled out of my mouth it seemed even more foreboding, “Silver Back?”
“Yes!” he said, “the Silverback Gorilla and his troop are back!
“Do the Gorillas in Life seem to be attacking your spiritual fruit? Take courage from God who says in Isaiah 43:13b “I work, and who will reverse it?
“When God is in it, when He is in charge of the work, He will pull you through all the problems, hardships, and obstacles. Please pray for the Nimba County Village Ministry; our hearts are heavy because the workers are few.
February 4th, 2009